Transition Year


Just a bit on the Transition Year programme in our school...

 The Transition Year course is a very enjoyable, worthwhile if not very hectic(!) year. Currently 42 students are in this 'gap' year. It mainly involves mini-company work, in which all TY students form a mini-business, make products and sell them to the students of the school at the annual school trade fair in December. In recent years the school's mini-companies have been a huge success. In 2003, 'Stressbusters' came second in the national finals and this year 'Smooth Operators' have followed in their footsteps in reaching the national finals where they also completed a marvellous double for the school by emulating their predecessors and finishing up in second place.

TY students generally do a lot of fundraising work too and this year a talent and fashion show has been organised to raise funds for the Simon Community.

Competitons are also a big factor in TY. They have had great results in many competitions over the years. One of the biggest triumphs ever to be achieved by the school occured this year, when for the first time ever, the school qualified for the Coca Cola Form and Fusion Design Awards National Finals. The design of 'Dancing at Lughnasa' created and made by Siobhan Carroll, Meadhbh Moriarity and Rachel Brennan also scooped a highly coveted prize of 'Best Use Of Materials' at the bash held in Dublin's Point Theatre in April.

But there is also another element of Transition Year which seems to go unnoticed by most until they reflect on the year. Many of the Transition Year class of 2003-04 have come away from it with new friendships. The activies and events undertaken during the year have caused the group to bond together in a way that probably wouldn't have been possible if in a normal classroom situation. I think that is what most of us have enjoyed most about doing Transition Year.